WASHINGTON – Early to bed, early to rise could make you even more successful, according to a report.
Those who wake before dawn are in the company of CEOs, government leaders and other influential people. Margaret Thatcher was up by 5 a.m. every morning, Frank Lloyd Wright rose at 4 a.m. and Disney CEO Bob Iger swears by his early wake up call, according to Yahoo!.
Successful people do these five things before 8 a.m., according to Yahoo!.
- Exercise – It gets your blood going, your day started right and gives you no chance of being too tired to do it later.
“Even if you aren’t bright eyed and bushy tailed at the thought of a 5 a.m. jog, try waking up 15 minutes early for a quick bedside set of pushups or stretching. It’ll help wake up your body, and prep you for your day,” the article says.
- Map out the day – Successful people schedule their goals and and take some quiet time to reflect and prioritize activities in the morning hours. It may be the only quiet time you’ll get all day.
“The early hours foster easier reflection that helps when prioritizing your activities. They also allow for uninterrupted problem solving when trying to fit everything into your timetable,” the article says.
- Eat a healthy breakfast – It gives you fuel. A healthy breakfast can help you get right to work and may give you a few minutes to plan out the day ahead.
“Not only is breakfast good for your physical health, it is also a good time to connect socially. Even five minutes of talking with your kids or spouse while eating a quick bowl of oatmeal can boost your spirits before heading out the door,” the article says.
- Visualize – Think of it as your mental health workout to get your brain going before you get to work. Successful people take time to meditate, quiet their minds and visualize their goals for the day.
“Even just a minute of visualization and positive thinking can help improve your mood and outlook on your work load for the day,” the article says.
- Make the day top heavy – Instead of procrastinating over that one major project you need to finish, take the big things you need to do and knock them out before noon. That’s what influential early risers do, according to the article. That way, the rest of the day is progressively easier.
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